2 Are Indicted In Johnsburg Carjacking Case

A McHenry County grand jury indicted two teens Thursday on charges of kidnapping a 19-year-old man and stealing his car last month in Johnsburg.

Joshua Hart, 18, of Yorkville, and Michael Burcham, 16, of Fox Lake, each face a minimum of 7 years in prison if convicted of the carjacking charge.

In accordance with Illinois law, Burcham, of the 0-100 block of Hillcrest Avenue, was automatically transferred to adult court on charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated unlawful restraint, aggravated assault, unlawful use of a weapon and felony theft. He is being held in the Kane County Juvenile Detention Center.

Hart, of the 1500 block of Cottonwood Trail, was indicted on the same charges. He remains in the Kendall County Jail on an $800,000 bond.

On Aug. 6, Hart and Burcham allegedly approached the victim at a gas station in Johnsburg and asked for a ride.

"As they were driving, they ordered him to pull over," said McHenry County Assistant State's Atty. Jeff Altman. "Burcham exited the vehicle and pointed a 9 mm semiautomatic pistol at the victim and ordered him out of the vehicle and into the trunk."

The man escaped in Gurnee after disassembling the trunk latch, and Hart and Burcham drove to LaSalle County where they dumped the car in a lake, police said. They were arrested in Yorkville, in Kendall County, the next morning.

Charges of criminal trespassing, possession of stolen property, unlawful use of a weapon and defacing a firearm were filed against Hart in Kendall County. Burcham was petitioned to juvenile court on similar charges.